In the Oracle Applications world, you’ve likely noticed that there are two distinct classes of documentation:  the massive library on the CDs, and additional Notes in Metalink.  Why the split, and how do you find what you’re looking for?

Monthly Updates of the E-Business Suite Online Documentation Library

What some of you may not know is that there is an online library of the documentation CDs for all E-Business Suite 11i releases.  Handy if you lose your CDs, perhaps?  Well, yes, but it’s actually a lot more useful than that, because of the frequency with which it is updated.  A new edition comes out at the beginning of every month.  New editions of the physical CDs themselves are typically published with a significant new release of the software.

Online Apps Documentation Screenshot:


MetaLink vs. the Documentation Library

Even though it’s updated monthly, the online documentation library generally contains static conceptual and operational information.  In the Apps technology stack area, however, patch numbers and sysadmin procedures are constantly updated, giving rise to a complementary set of documentation on OracleMetalink:

Metalink Note Search Screenshot:


Over time, the diversity of MetaLink Notes has grown.  MetaLink now includes a range of terse summaries to a few mighty opuses. Long Notes are usually written for areas that are changing rapidly or have changed rapidly in the past.  

Once the content of a particular Note stabilizes and matures, if possible, it’s rolled into the the core books that make up the standard documentation library. 

For example, the fast-moving area of Single Sign-On 10g integration has been documented by two MetaLink notes:  one for the basic installation, and one for site-specific implementation options.  With Release 12 of Oracle Applications, we’ll be documenting the implementation options in the core System Administrator’s Guide, which already discusses general security-related concepts.

Finding the Apps Documentation You Need

Here’s a rule of thumb:
  • If you need specific information on a fast-moving technology stack topic, look on MetaLink first. 
     
  • If you need a wider perspective or a deeper understanding of fundamental concepts, start with the relevant book in the core documentation.
Each of these two sources will point you to the other as applicable.  We try to cross-reference generously, so a book will typically refer to a relevant series of Notes, and a Note will often refer to one or more books.

The bottom line:  be prepared to refer to both the core documentation (books) and MetaLink notes to gain the breadth and depth you may need when you are carrying out a particular task.

Improving Our Documentation

Someone once defined good writing as the art of deciding what to leave off the page.  It’s hard to write documentation that works for all readers of all skill levels.

If you’re struggling to understand a particular book or Note, don’t waste your time:  log a Service Request and ask Oracle Support to log a documentation bug to clarify the confusing points.  Silence is always assumed to mean comprehension, so we can only improve our documentation if you point out areas that don’t work for you.